It’s been a busy fall for us so far this month!  Sgt. Betsy Smith spent September 6^th with a group of Arizona dispatchers at the Mesa Public Safety Training Center teaching “Career and Officer Survival for Dispatchers.”  Both during class and at the breaks we discussed everything from the dramatic rise of officer ambushes to the possibility that our “911” systems can be hacked.  As the public safety dispatcher’s job becomes more complicated and increasingly scrutinized, training events like this one help our civilian personnel stay prepared and informed.

On September 12 & 13, Dave (“JD Buck Savage”) Smith and Lt. Col. Dave Grossman presented their two day “Mindset Bootcamp” at the Washington County Sheriff’s Department in Fayetteville, AR.  For those of you who have seen Col. Grossman speak, you know he talks about Port Authority Police Officer Chris Amoroso, one of the 37 Port Authority police officers killed that day as Islamic terrorists attacked the World Trade Center with highjacked commercial jets.  It’s been fifteen years since the September 11^th, 2001 attacks in New York, Washington DC and Shanksville, PA and the police officers who paid the ultimate price that day are still some of the finest examples of what Col. Grossman calls “sheepdogs.”

Sheepdog, warrior, guardian, however you see yourself, you know that if you’ve chosen to serve you must have a commitment to service. Dave Smith talks about the ethos, or “habits” of warriors.  Police officers who see themselves as warriors don’t make war, they prevent it.  Smith’s list of “Warrior Ethos” include Duty, Honor, Courage, Loyalty, Strength and Selflessness.  The anniversary of September 11^th reminded us just how selfless those police officers and firefighters were who ran toward those burning skyscrapers while everyone else ran away.

In our Fayetteville “Mindset Bootcamp” we had a group of law enforcement professionals that included police officers, corrections personnel, parole and probation personnel, dispatchers, and forestry officers.  Many had been in shootings, a couple were still recovering physically and emotionally.  The atmosphere for this two day event is incredibly positive, affirming and informative for both the students and the instructors.  We hope to see you at one soon!